Chapter 197 Regretting Choosing You to Marry
"If you think I'm cursing you, then fine, I am." After saying this, Nora blocked Vivian directly. She didn't want to give her any more chances to seek attention.
"Hey!" Vivian's face changed color when the call was hung up on her.
Nora stood in the hospital corridor holding her phone, feeling down. Thinking about how Steven had left last night to see Vivian without even saying a word to her, her heart ached like it was being pricked by needles. Her eyes reddened too - turned out she wasn't as strong as she thought.
She was secretly glad nothing had happened between her and Steven last night; otherwise, how would she face this situation now?
Half an hour later, Philip had the nail removed from his arm. The doctor bandaged it and arranged for him to get a penicillin skin test and a tetanus shot.
Nora pulled herself together and helped Philip go for the skin test. The whole process took over an hour.
By the time all the tests and treatments were done, it was past nine at night.
Since Philip's arm wasn't working well, he called for a designated driver. "Nora, I'll drop you home first, then head back to my place."
"Okay." Nora nodded.
They walked out of the hospital building. The early winter night wind made Nora shiver. Her coat had been used to bandage Philip's arm and was covered in blood - completely unwearable.
Seeing her shaking from the cold, Philip draped his suit jacket over her shoulders. "Nora, it's cold, wear my jacket."
"What about you?" With his jacket off, he was left in just a blue shirt.
This was the same shirt he'd worn when he saved her years ago.
Philip smiled. "I have a thin blanket in the car, I'll use that."
He wrapped the blanket around himself.
Nora looked at him. "You can still wear this shirt?"
"Of course. I was already pretty tall back then, and my height and build haven't changed much." Philip looked at her, his eyes growing gentler.
Nora didn't dare meet his gaze and turned to look at the street scenes passing by the window.
The car soon arrived at Riverside Apartment.
Nora tried to return the jacket to Philip, but he rolled down the window. "Nora, it's cold, keep it on. Don't catch a cold - you can return it next time."
Nora had to keep the jacket on.
Philip asked again, "Those people who caused trouble at the company - did you report it to the police tonight?"
"Not yet, but the building has surveillance. I'm planning to file a report at the police station tomorrow."
"Need my help?"
Nora shook her head. "No, I can handle it myself."
She always wanted to grow on her own.
Philip knew she had her own mind and didn't insist. "Then go on back, be careful."
"You too, drive safe," Nora said goodbye to Philip and walked into the complex.
After just a few steps, she saw Steven standing at the complex entrance smoking, the cigarette glowing on and off in the darkness. His eyes were cold.
Nora was wearing a man's jacket, and Philip's light blue shirt was visible in the car - Steven saw everything clearly.
He had personally thrown away that shirt years ago, and now it appeared on Philip again. Nora must have taken it back and returned it to him, right?
Steven found it ironic.
"What are you doing here?" Nora asked in surprise when she saw him.
Steven's gaze was ice-cold. "What? Am I here interrupting something good?"
Nora's heart tightened - he was unhappy again. He was always like this, his moods impossible to read, no one could figure out what he was thinking.
Nora's tone wasn't pleasant either. She was already exhausted today and didn't want to get entangled with him anymore.
Vivian's warning still echoed in her mind, and she just felt tired.
"I'm going back now." She turned to leave. After a whole day of running around, she was really too tired and just wanted to go home and sleep.
After a few steps, Steven followed, his footsteps sounding behind her. Suddenly, he yanked the jacket off her shoulders.
The cold wind rushed into her clothes. Nora was wearing only a thin shirt and shivered from the cold.
"What are you doing?" Nora glared at him, reaching for Philip's jacket.
Steven casually threw the jacket on the ground, his tone full of sarcasm. "Treating a jacket like treasure? You two have been together every day lately - are you dating?"
Nora froze mid-reach for the jacket, her heart colder than her body.
She slowly put the jacket back on and looked him in the eye. "Yes."
She admitted it. Since he kept questioning her, she might as well admit it. Why should he always be the one hurting her heart? She wanted to strike back for once.
Steven froze.
Nora looked up at him, her voice calm. "So don't come bothering me anymore."
"Say that again?" Steven's eyes grew colder.
"I said, Philip and I are dating. Please don't come looking for me anymore." After saying this, Nora tried to leave.
Steven suddenly grabbed the bag on her shoulder.
Nora paused as the bag was pulled away and held in his hand.
"What do you want? Give me back my bag." Nora glared at him.
"We've only been apart a month, and you're already with Philip? Tell me, when did you two start?" Steven stared at her, his eyes looking like they could devour her.
"We're already divorced, why ask about this?" Nora didn't want to answer.
Steven sneered. "Why can't I ask? Maybe you were already involved with Philip while you were with me."
Nora frowned.
Steven moved closer. "Can you face me with a clear conscience?"
He felt ridiculous - if not for this divorce, he still wouldn't know that the woman he'd been taking seriously was actually thinking about someone else while being with him.
He looked at her with a cold laugh. "I must have been crazy to marry someone like you."
"Someone like me?" Nora's eyes became hollow.
She clutched the suit jacket tightly in the darkness, her eyes full of disappointment. "What kind of person am I?"
"Don't you know? A woman with no boundaries who's easy with everyone."
Her fingers trembled slightly, her whole body seeming frozen.
Steven wouldn't stop, continuing his sarcasm. "Were you so poor that you can't leave any man alone? Already found your next target before the divorce? Can Philip treat you as well as I did? Give you cards, houses, cars..."
Nora's whole body stiffened. She wanted to tell him to shut up, but felt it wasn't worth getting angry over someone like him. If he thought she was so terrible, then he should just stay away from her.
Why could he be with Vivian while criticizing and questioning her?
Nora's heart completely froze, and she was thoroughly hurt. She lowered her head and suddenly laughed softly.
"What are you laughing at?" Steven didn't understand.
Nora laughed quietly, her face hidden in the light, her voice cold. "You're right, that's exactly what I am. Are you clear now? If you're clear, then stay away from me."
With that, she took back her bag from his hand, turned, and entered the building lobby.
Steven's eyes darkened.
Nora entered the elevator, head down, expressionless as she pressed the button for the 20th floor.
As the elevator doors closed, she saw that Steven hadn't followed.
She couldn't tell if what she felt was disappointment or relief. Maybe this was for the best - no more hurting each other.
She sighed softly, watching the elevator doors close, thinking this was it - close the door to her heart and end everything.
The elevator reached the 20th floor.
Nora walked out in a daze.
The apartment was pitch black.
She dropped her bag and threw herself on the sofa, her expression blank, as if she'd lost her soul.
After leaving Riverside Apartment, Steven didn't go back to the villa but went to an entertainment venue instead.
He was successful and powerful now - what kind of woman couldn't he have? Why should he be heartbroken over Nora?
Steven straightened his suit and walked into the lively private room with composure.
Inside were all the important people from South City.
"Mr. York, you're here!" someone called out, and everyone greeted him. "Mr. York, hello!"
Steven sat in the center, becoming everyone's focus, with people constantly presenting projects, toasting him, and flattering him.
He was in a bad mood and drank several glasses of hard liquor, but it couldn't suppress the frustration in his heart.
He decided not to get entangled with Nora anymore - just end it like this. His life had many important things; there was no need to waste energy on her.
But Nora seemed rooted in his mind, impossible to shake off.
Steven grew increasingly irritated.
Someone handed him a project document from the Thompson Group.
Steven looked at the stamp on the document, sneered, and pushed it away.
"Throw this document away!" he told James.
The room instantly fell silent, everyone guessing whether the Thompson Group had offended Steven.
James quickly threw away the document.
Steven still felt irritated. He loosened his tie, his emotions barely under control.
"Everyone out!" he suddenly said in a low voice.
Everyone was startled, guessing that Steven was in a bad mood. They carefully retreated.
Steven drank alone, the pain in his heart lingering, only able to numb himself with alcohol.
James knew why Steven was drinking.
After thinking it over, he walked outside the private room and called Nora. "Ms. Adams, Mr. York has had too much to drink at the club. Can you come pick him up?"
"Can't you guys take him back?" Nora was still sitting on the sofa, worrying, when she suddenly got James's call.
"We don't know where his home is." James lied.
Nora paused. "Where has he been staying lately?"
"At the company, but it's getting cold. It's not good to keep staying at the company - there's not even a bed or blankets." James played pitifully.
Nora's heart twisted again.
So he gave her the apartment and went to stay at the company himself? He'd said before that he had another place, tricking her into signing the transfer documents for Riverside Apartment, when there was actually no other place at all...